New Delhi: The petition seeking a court-monitored CBI inquiry into the acquisition of 36 French-made Rafale fighter jets by the government for the Indian Air Force has been dismissed by the Supreme Court on Friday.

The apex court stated that “We are satisfied that there is no occasion to doubt the process. A country can’t afford to be under-prepared.” Adding that it doesn’t find any material to show its commercial favouritism. Nobody questioned the acquisition of Rafale jets when the deal was finalised in September 2016, said the court.

The court asserted that “We can’t sit in judgment over the purchase of 36 aircraft against 126 fighter jets. It is not correct for the court to sit as appellate authority in the aircraft purchase.”

“There is no reason for interference in the choice of offset partner and perception of individuals can’t be the basis for roving inquiry in such a sensitive issue of defence procurement,” said the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

Justice Ranjan Gogoi added that “We can’t compel the government to purchase 126 aircrafts and it’s not proper for the court to examine each aspect of this case. It’s not a job of the court to compare pricing details.”